So how long has it been friends? One, oh geez, TWO YEARS?!

How ya been? Wonder where we went?

I guess you could say life happened for us; just a few changes since we last spoke. We moved back to Vermont. Harrison took over a responsible restaurant with national acclaim. I worked for a young inspiring magazine helping their business grow. We then followed our hearts back to our hometown. And oh yeah, we had a kid. He’s pretty awesome. We’re pretty proud.

A lot has happened but we can honestly say that we are finally hitting a joyous stride as we lay down roots with our boy here in the place we always thought we needed to leave.

And with that, we are taking a closer look at our new-again city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina over at our new site, TowniesWS.com

There, we will be showcasing the doers, makers and innovators that are helping to make our “little-city-that-could” shine. Of course there will also be seasonal eats from Harrison, photo essays from me, as well as some creative inspiration for all of you out there.

We’d love to have you follow along with us in this next chapter. Big plans in store. Here’s to the ride!

Farewell Vermont. You will be missed. It’s back to North Carolina we have gone.

We would be lying if we said we didn’t struggle with leaving; funny because we only moved to Vermont for Harrison to attend culinary school. But we ended up falling in love with the area with its contagious locavore lifestyle and deeply rooted good food community.

And we continue to crave the breads…

The cheeses…

The hidden treasures…

The beer…

I like to say that it was in Vermont that I finally entered food rehab. I went from microwaving to making from scratch; from drive-thrus to farm stands; from cans and boxes to picking and canning. We moved for Harrison but in the end we think it might have been equally for me.

In Vermont my passion for food grew ten-fold. And so did my love for working side by side with Harrison. He cooks and I photograph. He explains how-to and I write. He learns hands-on and I read his textbooks to ask questions. He executes our event menus flawlessly and I make sure our guests are enjoying themselves. He continues to inspire me. I continue to challenge him.

Isn’t it funny where life leads you when you just let loose and let it? If you were to ask me a year and a half ago if I could see myself working side by side with him day to day I would have thought you were nuts. But today I can’t think of any other place I would rather be.

For us, life has led us back to North Carolina to give his mom some much needed support with her thriving catering business with him in the kitchen and me in the office with coordination. And we’re looking forward to using our passions to create lasting food memories for clients.

While we’re here, we also strive to create new farm to table experiences with the community in our home state. Ultimately, it is our dream to one day have a small farm and cafe and do it all on one site. We’ll see…

So although the New England culinary adventure has ended, we know that a whole new adventure is about to unfold. We hope you’ll continue to join us here to share in new inspiration and continue to celebrate the community that food builds with us.

There was that word again. Magical. It has crept into my vocabulary here – into my journal, our conversations, it’s become a genuine feeling. Magical. As Disney as it might sound that is how I will fondly remember this summer in Vermont.

My friend Allison likes to say that “the stars aligned for us”. Harrison was just finishing culinary school and was hungry to get more hands on experience growing the food he prepares. Then our friend Sandi enters. Her parents have a small organic vegetable farm called Sandiwood Farm in Wolcott. We visit and poof, we’re then lending a hand with seeding, weeding and harvesting.

We also shared a common vision of creating farm-to-table dinner experiences there on the farm. But more than just a vision, we each possessed our own unique strengths that we could pull from to bring the concept to life. I could pull from my event planning and communications roots; Harrison, Sandi (and this month, Amy) brought menu design, cooking and catering talents; Sara and Bob of course offered beautiful harvests, a wealth of farming knowledge and an eagerness to share; and Dani, Becca and Kyle had the passion, resourcefulness and contagious enthusiasm to pitch in wherever needed to bring it all to life.

This week we hosted our third farm dinner and as I looked around it did feel as if the stars aligned. We were organizing, orchestrating and best of all, just laughing. And outside there were warm introductions between strangers, the crackling sounds of a bonfire, bottle after bottle of wine shared between new friends, the illuminating flicker of candlelight, the oohs and ahhs of each course, and the content smiles as the sun set. Yes, it was a magical.

Since it’s our first day back in town following a two-week stint down south, we’re considering this to be the official start of our “New Year” here in Vermont. All day we have been dreaming and scheming new plans. And thanks to the inspired southern new year meal Harrison cooked up for us this past week, we’re hoping luck will be on our side as we navigate the big year ahead.

Luck or no luck, it sure was good.

Here’s a peek inside the impromptu dinner date we shared with Harrison’s mom and step-dad at the family’s catering kitchen back in Winston-Salem where we reflected on the year behind and encouraged good fortune in the year ahead…

Black-eyed peas are said to represent coins and good luck. Folklore says to eat one black-eyed pea for each day of the year. I love them so much I think I doubled my luck.

Collard greens are said to represent wealth and symbolize folding money

Our take on hoppin john: black-eyed peas, cabbage, carrot, onion

First he was sauteing and tossing...

Then he was tieing and knotting so his "photographer" didn't miss a beat...

This year we decided not to get a Christmas Tree to save a little cash. I sulked a teeny bit that I didn’t feel as festive without one but Harrison wisely reminded me that once we landed in the Carolinas that holiday spirit would come flooding right back in. And flood it did! After the brisk 16-hour pilgrimage down south, we opened the door to my mom’s on Christmas Eve and there it came… like a Mack truck. And for the next day and a half it was full-on, non-stop holiday cheer. Here’s the run-down…

Upon arrival at Hotel Tyson (aka my mom and stepdad’s), we were greeted with hugs and a VIP turn down service.

Chocolates on our pillows. How kind!

After a nice dinner out with Harrison’s dad filled with big laughs and big steaks, we woke the following morning to the smell of coffee and mmm…. sausage balls.

Mom asked that I take a "fancy food shot" of her famous sausage balls. And here's an attempt to do so..

After putting away a couple (handfuls) we headed in for PRESENTS and to take in mom’s annual showroom-esque Christmas display.

So what do we do. Use the fancy new attachment from Harrison’s pops to show the family how to grind their own meat using that new mixer of course. Harrison pulled my mom right up to the plate and told her to hold the catching bowl. She was a little skeptical but excited.

oooh....ahhh....

The grr-animals try to hypnotize us into handing it over.

Meanwhile, outside sat my brother’s jam-packed car. Big news in the land of little brothers as he announced the other week that he and his lady-love were moving to Vail, Colorado! Just in time for snowboard season no less…

Just taking the essentials he said. Mom thought it was hilarious "essentials" included a box of flexy straws.

Back inside, we all asked him way too many questions about his big move. To distract us, he dramatically opened a card… and I, the amateur photojournalist, was there to capture it all.

All the emotion of moving really got to him... he almost faked a tear.

And then shortly after, he passed out... ah, traditions.

After all that excitement we hopped back into the Subaru and headed over to house numero dos, Harrison’s mom’s, for more holiday action.

Beau-ti-ful stockings hung by the chimney with care...

Is this a pretty table or what? Vermonters please note: Sweet Tea all around.

Look a mini-Harrison...with tights!

Plus, a menorah!

Here we light the menorah and then say the Christmas blessing. It’s the ultimate in festive fun.

Santa's Reindeer loves her Hanukkah Bear.

After dinner, I was handpicked by the coolest 10-year-old I know to help him with the annual sorting of gifts. His take charge attitude was impressive and he made sure no gift was left untouched.

He takes his job VERY seriously. He really goes for it.

Unfortunately my sorting skills were a bit well, messy, so I got kicked to the sidelines. Better luck next year.

Turtle making sure we get his good side.

Up next, my dad and step mom’s to wrap up the holiday as house numero tres.

Happy Fourth of July weekend y’all! Our dear friend Brooke is quite a pancake connoisseur. She can’t get enough she says. Since this weekend just so happens to include both her one year wedding anniversary AND her birthday, we thought we would put together a recipe just for her (and share with you!).

2 teaspoons of baking powder (Important note: If you’re going big with additional acidic ingredients as we are down below, then you will want to substitute baking soda for your baking powder. Acidic ingredients include orange zest or juice, molasses, brown sugar, etc.)

Creating a well in your pancake mixture helps you mix your batter together more evenly.

Here is the consistency you're looking to achieve if you're planning to add in extra yummy ingredients. If you would prefer to stick with the basic recipe, continue mixing until a few less lumps remain.

H Dog was recently assigned breakfast duty in his 5:00 am baking class (and p.s., I just loved the daily alarms for THAT one). What better way to give his northeast crew a taste of the south then cooking up some of our beloved southern biscuits and gravy. Lucky for me there were leftovers, and lucky for you, I scored the recipe to share (in my own words of course…)

You know you want to make some...

Let’s let loose on some biscuits and gravy shall we?

First up – sausage gravy:

(1) pound of fresh sausage (ground or linked)

(4) cups of milk (get crazy, go organic whole)

(1) stick (or 4 oz.) of unsalted butter

(1/2) cup of organic all-purpose flour

a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste

1. Place ground sausage in a large skillet, crank up the heat to medium high and cook that delicious sausage until cooked through (browned). Once cooked, transfer the sausage to a bowl.

2. Add (4) cups of milk to the original sausage skillet, turn your heat on low and slowly bring the milk to a simmer. Simmer = little bubbles

3. Grab yourself a sauce pot now (we love to bring out all the pots and pans when we get down). In that sauce pot, melt your butter and then add flour to make your roux.

4. Once your milk is at a simmer, go ahead and add your roux. Stir thoroughly.

5. Finally, add in that scrumptious sausage and sprinkle in your salt and pepper to taste.

Moving on… southern biscuits, here we go:

(3) and (1/3) cups of self rising organic flour

(1) cup of organic whole milk

(1/3) cup shortening

(1/4) cup unsalted butter (keep it cold and dice it up)

(1) teaspoon of salt

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

2. Pour your flour into a large bowl.

3. Add your salt, shortening and butter.

Dicing the butter to makes it easier to work with during the mixing process.

4. Dive in hands first and mix thoroughly until your mixture becomes mealy.

Here's a closer look at "mealy." I'm very visual... thought it might help.

5. Make yourself a little well in your flour mixture and in that fancy well, add your milk.

Flour Meet Milk. Milk Prepare to Meet Flour.

Creating this well is another trick to help you mix the ingredients together to create your dough.

6. Continue to mix with your hands until mixed thoroughly.

7. Take dough mixture out of the bowl and place on a flat surface that is dusted with a small amount of flour (we like to use our kitchen countertop).

8. Roll out your dough mixture until it is an inch by an inch and a quarter thickness.

9. Grab yourself a cookie cutter (or just grab a drinking glass, we know you have at least one of those…) and begin cutting out your biscuits until all of your dough has been used. You may need to re-roll the dough a few times during this process.

Who needs a biscuit cutter when you have a rocks glass?!

10. Lightly flour the bottom of each biscuit to prevent sticking and place all of your beautiful biscuits on an ungreased sheet pan.

Flouring the bottom prevents sticking. Thank you H Dog for being our Vanna.